Why Use a Desktop Scanner?
While desktop scanners are very widely used, not everyone might own one. Here's why we recommend using a scanner.
Below is the Epson Perfection V850, a scanner we recommend to our clients if they do not own one.
This scanner is highly recommended by SEDDI, as it is designed specifically for capturing photographs, rather than a scanner that is designed to capture documents. Scanners that are part of multifunction devices (printers, copiers, scanners) are typically optimized for capturing documents and are, therefore not our recommended choice for capturing high-quality images of materials.
If your material has a pattern repeat that is larger than letter or A4 size, it is possible to scan separate sections of the material and combine them in image editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop. However, this process can be challenging and requires advanced Photoshop skills. An alternative would be to use a scanner that is capable of capturing Ledger or A3-size materials. Scanners of this size designed for photographic materials are available from Epson and other scanner manufacturers, but they can be considerably more expensive than letter-size photo scanners.